Where is Bahamas?

Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, Bahamas is an island nation. It has a 3,542.00 km coastline. The Bahamas disagrees with the United States regarding the alignment of the northern axis of a potential maritime boundary.

The capital city of the islands of the Bahamas is Nassau, which is the largest commercial center in the country. Situated in New Providence, the city was founded in 1670 by the British settlers before it was burned down and then rebuilt by the Spanish in 1684. As per the last census of 2010, the city had a population of 246,329 individuals. Nassau is home to a variety of colonial era architectural designs which are popular amongst tourists. The month of January is the coldest month on the Island and July is the hottest time.

Bahamas is a North American country covering 13,880.00 km2 of which 27.88% is water and 10,010.00 km2 is land. This makes it the 40th smallest country in the world and slightly smaller than Connecticut. Its geographic coordinates are 24 15 N, 76 00 W and Nassau is the capital city.

The country's name comes form the Spanish phrase "baha mar", which means "shallow sea".

Its ISO code is BS.

Geography

Bahamas has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a tropical marine climate that is moderated by the Gulf Stream. Its terrain consists of flat coral formations with a few low rounded hills.

Population

Bahamas has a population of 327,316 making it the 178th largest in the world. Most of the country's population can be found in urban areas.

English is the official language and most common language spoken. The majority ethnic group reported is black. The population is predominantly Protestant, with some Roman Catholics.

Standard English is the language used in schools, by the government, by the media, and in all legal and commercial businesses. Politicians may also most frequently use English. The Creole spoken today in the Bahamas is believed to have originated from freed slaves from the United States who settled in the island and the slaves of the American Loyalists who were given land grants due to their loyalty to the British Crown during the American Revolution. Most Bahamians do not refer to their vernacular as a Creole language, and instead call it the Bahamian dialect.

Government

Bahamas is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. Its constitution was last ratified in 1973.

The Bahamian government is a parliamentary and constitutional monarchy whose head of state is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain who is represented by the governor-general. The country’s legal and political traditions closely emulate those of the UK and Westminster. The Right Honorable Hubert Alexander Minnis is the current prime minister of the Bahamas and the head of government. The current Bahamian governor-general is Dame Marguerite Matilda Pindling who is the second female governor-general to serve in the Bahamas. The parliament building is in Nassau while the governor-general’s official residence is also located in Nassau atop Mount Fitzwilliam. The government of the Bahamas comprises of a bicameral national parliament.

Economy

The currency of Bahamas is the Dollar (BSD).

Its major export partners are Poland, Cote d'Ivoire, and the United States. Its main exports are rock lobster, aragonite, and crude salt. Its major import partners are the United States, China, and Japan. Its major imports include machinery and transport equipment, as well as chemicals.

Flag

The Bahamian flag was adopted in 1973 when it replaced the British Blue Ensign that was formerly used. The flag features three stripes and a triangle facing the hoist side. The triangle is black in colors symbolizing the people's strength, the top and bottom stripes are aquamarine symbolizing the water surrounding the country, and the middle stripe is yellow symbolizing the shining sun. The current flag has been the national flag of the Bahamas ever since the country gained its independence. Before the design for the current flag was decided, a contest was held, and it was ultimately decided that the new flag would be a combination of several elements.